Defend the Goal – Fun Shooting & Rescue Drill

Sometimes the keeper is beaten and defenders must become hero shot-stoppers. This drill recreates that scramble while doubling as a ruthless finishing exercise.

Setup

Players: Minimum 6 (half attackers, half defenders). Works best with 8–10.
Area: Full-size goal with a cone “shooting mark” 18 m out. Attackers start at one corner of the box, defenders line up at the near corner flag.
Equipment: Balls (one per attacker), cones/poles if no full goal is available.

Attackers each have a ball. Defenders sprint to the goal line and can only use their body—no hands.

Rules

An attacker touches the ball forward from the queue and sprints toward the shooting mark.
On that trigger, a defender races toward the goal line to cover.
Attackers must shoot one-touch once they pass the mark. No dribbling inside the arc.
Defenders stay within two steps of the goal line and cannot charge the shooter.
After every shot, attackers retrieve balls quickly; defenders loop back to the queue.
Run 60–90 second waves, then swap roles so everyone defends and shoots.

Add scoring: +1 for every goal, +1 for every clean block/clearance. Keep cumulative tallies across rounds.

Coaching cues

Attackers focus on striking through the ball with head over the shot—no leaning back.
Defenders should time jumps or blocks to use thighs, chest, or head safely.
Emphasise communication so the next defender knows when to release.
Keep tempo high: use a timer and shout “next ball” every four seconds.

Benefits

Shooting accuracy: One-touch constraint forces attackers to set their body early.
Defensive bravery: Players learn to cover the line and clear with any legal body part.
Decision speed: Both roles must read cues quickly—touch, sprint, shoot or block.
Goalkeeper empathy: Field players feel the pressure of protecting the net, which encourages better recovery runs in real matches.

Share your best clearances (or funniest misses) with us on Facebook or Instagram @footballtechnik —we might feature them in the next roundup.

Defending in the box drill

Defending in the box can be a risky business, but even good teams have to do it at some point during a game. This drill will help your defence to minimise...

Football Shooting Drill – Volley Shot

Two teams alternate throw-in style feeds from each flank while shooters finish first-time with both feet.

Quick finishing drill

This post discusses a finishing drill that will keep everyone moving fast. The objective is to practice dribbling and shooting at speed.